Switch-interlocking device



March 22 1927' F. c. ANDERSON SWITCH INTERLOCKING DEVICE FledMay 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GUM was,

Match 22 1927' F. c. ANDERSON SWITCH INTERLOCKING DEVICE I Filed may 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

unirse sra'rns @Pern FRANK`C. ANDERSON, OE' CINCINNATI, I-IEO, ASV-SIGNOR TO Tlf-IE 'AMERIGAN VAIV .AND 'METER COMPANY, OF CN'CNNATL 021110, A CORPORATION 0F GHI.

swrron-rnrnnnoonrne DEVICE.

Application led May 29,

My invention relates to switch-stands and interlocking devices for use therewith, and is an improvement upon such devices as are disclosed and claimed in my prior Patentshlo. 1541010 f July 21, 1925, and Nos. 1,554,543, 1,554,544. and 1,554,545 oi Septen'iloer 22, 1925; having as its object, in' connnon with those prior inventions, the locking' or' the .interlocking inec'hanisin by a manually up-` plied lock, and havingthe further object of coordinating the interlocking* device with the switcli-stand latch, so that locking oi'I either one also locks the other and so that neither Vcan be locked unless the switch rails are in saie position. ther objects will appear in the course o1 the ensuing,` description.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of part of a switch and a switch-stand connected thereto and equipped with iny iinproved device;

Fig. 9. is an enlarged rearperspective view of the device, together withthe latch;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view or" the bess;

Fig. l is asimilar' view of the plunger; v

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device, partly in section on the plane oi the line 5 5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section on the plane of the linel G-G ot Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view oi' the lever.

Asusualin interlocking` installations, thc interlocking bar 1 vhas the threaded part 2 scoured in the bent down plate 3 lined to the end of the point rail l by nuts 5 and extending under the stock rail 6 outto one side of the track. My present device is especially adapted for use with the 'type oi switchstand shown in Fig. 1, comprising a casing?? with the vertical target shaft 8 journal-led therein, carrying the crank 9 onits lower Vend below the"y casing. This crank `9` is'connected tothe two point rails l and 11 by the rods 10 and 11 asxusual; and the top oi the :shaft ca-rriesthe target 12 aloovefthe casing 7. The hand lever- 18 connects with suitable niechanisni, inside .the lcasing` 7, so that swung' one 'hundred Yand eightyA degrees in a vertical plane, it lrotates the shaft 8 and crarli'k 9' ninety degreesgto throw the switch.

To hold the lever 13 down and holdthe 192e. serial'no. 112,597'.

switch in closed position, la latch of well known construction is provided, col'nprising the `france 15 with a crotch receivino' the lever, and a keeper 16 pivoted in the 2lower end of the frame' and swinging in over Vthe lever behindan opening 17 in an ear on the upper part of the traine, if the lever 13 is fully down in the crotch, but covering the opening 17 otherwise, so .that a padlock 17 may be inserted in the opening` 17 only when the switch is closed. The lower partot the 'keeper has the treadle 1S extending out;

'the switch stand'and latch, with its outer end part of rectangular crossisection, having its narrow edges horizontal. The interlock housing comprises a hase 2O and a casing 21. lhe base 20 is niainlya` lla-t plate lying across the top ofthe headblock 19 and having.;- a stirrup 22 depending in front of the head block, with a transverse rectangular opening` 22 in which theloar 1 has a sliding' From its top down to the bar 1 the base 2O has a circular opening' 20 in which the interlocking` plunger 23 slides up andl (flown, with its lower end engaging in a notch Q in the upper edge ot the bar 1 when the plunger is down. rlhis plunger 23 has its upper end inthe forni of a head with a pin 25 transversely through it; and the operating lever 25'. rule-ruined on a transverse .pin 22( in lugs ,28'upstanding tronrthe hase 20 and straddling thelever, has a fork 29 straddlingVV the -head of the ,plunger 23,-witl1 holes VBf() which the projecting parts of the pin 9.15

engage. y

The base 2O has a part 31 overhanging the stirrup 22 forwardly, and has a slot 3Q from Athe plunger opening 20 out through its front ledge', in which the Vplunger 23' has a foie waidly extending ear 337w'ith an opening 33 transversely'through it. hen the .plunger ico is down inthe bar notch Qethis opening 35 is'j'ust below the overhanging part 31 of the base 20, sol that if the padlock 34 is inserted in the opening 33 it engages with the bottom ot the base part 31, preventing raising ot the plunger out ot' the notch 24. llhen the plunger is raised out of the bar notch 24 this Vopening 33 is carried above the base.'

The rear end of the lever 26 is in the form ot' a treadle 35, on which the switclnnan may place his foot to depress this end of the lever to raise the plunger 23 and release the bar 1, so that the switch may then be thrown by operation ot' the switch-stand in the usual manner as before described. The casing 21 is a box-like element, with its bottom open, fitting down over the lever 26 and plunger 23, with its lower front edge 36 and lateral lower edges 37 and lower rear edge 38 resting on the base 20 along the corresponding edges ot the base, which has lateral ears 39 with which the housing or casing 21 has lateral ears 46 registering, so that screws 41 passed down through the casing ears 40 and the base ears 39 into the head block 19 may hold the casing to the base, and both otl them to the head block. Also, the base 2O has the rear ear 42 through which a third screw 41 may be passed into the head block. Near its front end the base 20 has the small lugs 43 projecting up at its sides, to flank the casing edges 37 closely, cooperating with the side screws Y 41 in holding the casing 21 from sidewise and neither can the latch be closed.

twisting. The lever fulcrum lugs 28 are near the rear end ot the base and casing, and the latter has the vertical slot 43 in its rear end, out through which the rear arm ot the lever 26 extends, to swing up and down t-herein. To force the front arm ol the lever 26, and the plunger 23 therewith, downward7 a helical spring 44 ts around a lug 45 on the top of the lever near the fork 29 thereof, and is compressed up against the under surface of the top ot' the casing 21.

rEhe rear arm of the lever 26 curves upward outside the casing slot 43, and has under its treadle 35 the vertical web 46 with a rearwardly opening slot 47 receiving the adjacent edge of the latch treadle 18, `so that depression ot' the interlock treadle 35 to open fthe interlocking device also opens the latch by depression of the latch treadle 13; and, as the interlocking device closes, under action of gravity aided by the spring 44, raising the rear arm of the lever 26, the latch is closed by raising of its treadle 18. If the switch- Vthrowing lever 13 is not completely down in the latch crotch, the latch cannot close, and neither can the interlocking plunger go completely down; or, it' the plunger cannot enter the bar notch 24 because the point rail is not completely drawn up to the stock rail, the interlocking device cannot completely close Theretore, although there are two places, in either one of which a padlock may be applied, the

interlocking plunger ear opening l 3 and the latch ear opening 17, the lock cannot be applied to either one unless both the switch stand and the interlocking device are conapletely closed, with a corresponding safe position of the rails of the switch.

I prefer to lock the switch by application of the lock to the plunger opening 33 as shown in Fig. 6, because the lock thus is down below the top of the head block 19, where it is better protected against accidents, and even should the upper part ot' the interlocking device, above the top otll the head block, be disrupted, the plunger, directly locked, is less liable to be dislodged trom its engagement in the bar 1, so that it will hold the point rail in sate position in that event. However, application ot the lock to the latch opening 17 is more convenient for the switchman, and this may be done when preferred, still availing of the protection of the interlocking against locking the point rail in unsafe position on account ofthe operative connection of the treadles of the two devices. I prefer to have the slot in the interlock treadle web with the latch treadle engaged in it` as shown and described, because it is more convenient to extend the interlock lever arm upward than to change the latch treadle in this way; but it is obvious that the relation may be reversed, with the latch treadle having the slot in a web thereunder, and receiving the edge of the interlock treadle. Or, one ot the elements may have the treadle part omitted, merely being a lever; but by providing both devices with treadles, either one is complete for use alone, without the other, as may be desired. For example, the interlocking device may be used with other types of switch-stands which do not have latches down on the head blocks; and of course where a stand of the type shown is installed without the interlocking device, it nevertheless would require latches.

It will be evident therefore that numerous modifications may occur, and while I have specifically disclosed a certain preferred example of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to such precise disclosure, but having thus fully described my'invention, as is required, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch-interlocking device comprising an interlocking bar and a plunger retentively engaging said bar at one side of the switch head block, locking means on said plunger below the top of the head block, and .a lever connected to said plunger and extending along the track from said plunger, across the head block, and latchengaging means on said lever near the opposite side of the head block.

2. A switch-interlocking device comprising an interlocking bar and a plunger retentively engaging said bar at one side of the switch head block, locking means on said plunger below the top of the head block, and a lever connected to said plunger and extending along the track :trom said plunger, across the head block, and a treadle on said lever near the opposite side of the head block.

3. A switch-interlocking device comprising an interlocking bar and a plunger retentively .engaging said bar .at one side of the switch head block, and a lever connected to said plunger and exten-ding across said head block, a treadle on said lever near the opposite side ot the head bloclr, latch-engaging means on said lever under said treadle.

'-1. A switch-interlocking device comprising an interlocking bar and mechanism coinprising a vertically moving plunger at one end, retentively engaging said bar, .said mechanism extending along the track, across the switch head block, from said bar, and locking means for said mechanism on said plunger below the top ot the head block..

5. A. switch-interlocking device comprising an interlocking bar having a notch in its upper side, and mechanism comprising a vertically7 moving plunger engaging in said notch, and means on said plunger for applying a padloclrthereto.

6. A switch-interlocking device comprising a base with a stirrup depending therefrom, a bar sliding in said stirrup and having an upwardly opening recess, a plunger sliding down in said base into said recess, and locking means on said plunger adjacent to said stirrup and below the top of the base.

'Z'. A `switch-interloolring device comprising a base made up of a base plate to lie over the head block and a stirrup to dep-end alongside the head block, a bar sliding in said stirrup and having an upwardly opening recess, a plunger sliding down in said base into` said recess, said base plate overhanging said stirrup and having a slot, and an ear on sai-d plunger having a lock-receiving opening', below said overhanging part otthe base plate when the plunger is in the recess but above the lower side of said overhang-ing part, so as to prevent insertion of the lock, when said plunger is out ot said recess.

8. In a switch-interlocking device, a base comprising a plate with an integral depending stirrup having a transverse opening and an upright plunger-receiving opening, and an integral lever--tulcrum lug upstanding on said base.

9. In a switch-interlocking device, a base comprising a plate with a depending stirrup having a transverse opening and an upright plunger-receiving opening, and having a slot in its plate opening out from said upright opening.

10. In a .switch-interlocking device, .a base having means on its top for mounting interlocking mechanism and having laterally eX- tended ears on its lateral edges, and a casing fitting .down on said base around said mounting means and having ears registering with said base ears.

11. In a switch-interlocking device, a base, a bar sliding horizontally in said base, a plunger sliding up and down inV said base to engage with said bar, a lever fulcrumed on said base and connected to said plunger, a casing fitting on said base over and around said lever, and a spring conined between said lever and the under side of the top of said casing, to torce the plunger downward.

12. In a switch-interlocking device, a lever having a fork at one end, fulcrum means near its middle, a treadle and a latchengaging means near its opposite end, and a spring-holding lug between its fulcrum means and its fork.

13. In a switch-interlocking device, an operating lever having a treadle on one end with a vertical web thereunder having an outwardly opening slot in which part of a switch-stand latch is adapted to be engaged.

14. In combination, a switch-interlocking device and a switch-stand latch, each having lock-receiving means, and an operative connection between said device and said latch whereby they open or close together, said device and said latch each having a treadle, whereby either one is adapted for manual operation alone, without rthe other.

FRANK C. ANDERSON. 

